Posts Tagged ‘Fortress Specialty Cellulose’

Fortress Paper Ltd. (“Fortress Paper” or the “Corporation”) (TSX:FTP) announced today that it intends to release its fourth quarter financial results for the period ended December 31st, 2011 after the close of the market on Monday, March 5th, 2012. In connection with the release of its results, Fortress Paper Ltd. will host a conference call Tuesday, March 6th, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. (PST) to discuss the financial results and the Corporation’s operations. Mr. Chadwick Wasilenkoff, Chief Executive Officer, Alfonso Ciotola, President, Kurt Loewen, Chief Financial Officer and Peter Vinall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. will host the call.

To participate in the conference call, please dial one of the following numbers:

Dial In Numbers:

604-681-8564

Vancouver

403-532-5601

Calgary or International

780-429-5820

Edmonton

416-623-0333

Toronto

613-212-0171

Ottawa

514-687-4017

Montreal

Toll Free Dial In Number:

1-855-353-9183 from Canada and USA

Participant Pass Code:

15086#

Conference Reference Number:

765945

A replay of the conference call will be available for 7 days. To access the replay, listeners may dial 1-855-201-2300 from Canada & the USA. The conference reference number is 765945 # and the participant pass code to access the replay is 15086 #.

Fortress Paper Ltd. (“Fortress Paper” or the “Company”) (TSX:FTP) is pleased to announce that it has ramped up production of dissolving pulp at its Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill to approximately 60% of final targeted capacity since it announced production of dissolving pulp had commenced on December 5, 2011. The ramp up of production continues substantially as planned and we expect meaningful improvements in the short term followed by smaller productivity gains as we approach our targeted production capacity. Our dissolving pulp is meeting customer specifications and after aggregating inventory, customer shipments commenced in the final week of December.

Chad Wasilenkoff, Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Paper, commented: “We are extremely pleased with the speed at which the ramp up of dissolving production is proceeding at our Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill and are focused on achieving our planned production capacity as soon as possible. With the shipment of our first orders, we have demonstrated our ability to successfully produce dissolving pulp that meets the stringent specifications of our customers.”

Fortress Paper Ltd. (“Fortress Paper” or the “Company”) (TSX:FTP) announced today that it has initiated the final stages of the conversion project at its Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill. The mill has commenced its start-up phase with final process testing, which will include cold and hot water trials, together with the testing of safety systems scheduled to occur over the coming days. Production of dissolving pulp beginning with wood chips cooking is expected to commence shortly thereafter.

The minor delay in the scheduled completion of the conversion project has resulted from: (1) the previously announced unexpected walkout in October of construction employees of contractors engaged by the Company; (2) the extra time subsequently required upon the return of the workers to fully ramp-up construction activities at the site; (3) completion of identified improvements to infrastructure relating to buildings, supports and the chip tower inter-connection; and (4) implementation of enhancements to the mill’s safety and control systems.

Chad Wasilenkoff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Paper, commented: “We look forward to the imminent production of dissolving pulp, which will signify an important milestone in the history of Fortress Paper. We believe that the implementation of supplemental process control testing will provide for a more efficient ramp-up to commercial production.”

The completion of the conversion project is currently materially on budget, with the exception of costs resulting from the unexpected walkout of construction workers which remain to be quantified. The cogeneration project at the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill is proceeding substantially on schedule, and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2012.

About Fortress Paper

Fortress Paper is a leading international producer of security and other specialty papers and products. Fortress operates three mills, the Landqart Mill located in Switzerland, the Dresden Mill located in Germany and the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill located in Quebec, Canada. Fortress Paper’s security papers include banknote, passport and visa papers and its specialty papers include non-woven wallpaper base products, and graphic and technical papers. Fortress Paper’s pulp business includes specialty pulp produced at the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill, which is currently in the process of converting this capacity into dissolving pulp production along with the construction of a biomass based cogeneration plant.

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of Fortress Paper with respect to its performance, business and future events, including statements regarding the timing of completion of its conversion project and the commencement of dissolving pulp production. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks relating to potential disruptions to production and delivery, regulatory requirements, changes in the market, potential downturns in economic conditions, fluctuations in the price and supply of required materials, foreign exchange fluctuations, labour relations, dependence on major customers, and other risk factors listed from time to time in the Company’s public filings. These risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Fortress Paper does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – Oct. 12, 2011) - Fortress Paper Ltd. (www.fortresspaper.com) (“Fortress” or the “Company”) (TSX:FTP) wishes to announce the commencement of the final phase of the dissolving pulp conversion project at its Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill in Thurso, Quebec and the signing of new banknote paper orders at its Landqart Mill in Landquart, Switzerland.

Thurso Quebec:

The Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill was purchased by Fortress in early 2010 with the plan to convert the NBHK mill to a dissolving pulp producer commencing in May 2011. Moreover, the construction of a cogeneration facility to provide 18.8 megawatts per annum of green power to Hydro Quebec for a 15 year term has also recently broken ground, and is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2012.

Peter Vinall, Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Specialty Cellulose, commented: “The Thurso mill conversion has entered the final shutdown phase which represents the ending of NBHK production at the mill. We have mobilized a workforce of over 800 workers on site to assist with final mill connections and de-bottlenecking work. When the mill is restarted in early November it will be a low cost, high quality dissolving pulp producer with an annual production capacity of approximately 200,000 tonnes.”

Landqart Switzerland:

Fortress Paper’s Lanqart Mill reports the signing of new banknote paper contracts for 2012, which represent a significant portion of the mill’s annual banknote production capacity.

Chad Wasilenkoff, Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Paper, commented: “Our Landqart Mill was among the winning bids for a number of banknote contracts. Bidding on contracts of this volume would not have been possible prior to our recent PM1 banknote machine upgrade, which increased our overall annual production capacity from 2,500 to 10,000 tonnes.”

About Fortress Paper

Fortress Paper is a leading international producer of security and other specialty papers and products. Fortress operates three mills, the Landqart Mill located in Switzerland, the Dresden Mill located in Germany and the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill located in Quebec, Canada. Fortress Paper’s security papers include banknote, passport and visa papers and its specialty papers include non-woven wallpaper base products, and graphic and technical papers. Fortress Paper’s pulp business includes specialty pulp produced at the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill, which is currently in the process of converting this capacity into dissolving pulp production along with the construction of a biomass based cogeneration plant.

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of Fortress Paper with respect to its performance, business and future events, including statements regarding the timing of completion of its conversion project and cogeneration facility. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks relating to potential disruptions to production and delivery, regulatory requirements, changes in the market, potential downturns in economic conditions, fluctuations in the price and supply of required materials, foreign exchange fluctuations, labour relations, dependence on major customers, and other risk factors listed from time to time in the Company’s public filings. These risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Fortress Paper does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Fortress Paper Ltd. (TSX:FTP) (“Fortress Paper” or the “Corporation”) announced today that it intends to release its third quarter financial results for the period ended September 30th, 2010 after the close of the market on Monday, November 8th, 2010. In connection with the release of its results, Fortress Paper will host a conference call Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. (PST) to discuss the financial results and the Corporation’s operations. Mr. Chadwick Wasilenkoff, Chief Executive Officer, Alfonso Ciotola, President, Erich Sulser, Chief Operating Officer, Kurt Loewen, Chief Financial Officer and Peter Vinall, Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. will host the call.

To participate in the conference call, please dial one of the following numbers:

A replay of the conference call will be available for 7 days. To access the replay, listeners may dial 1-877-353-9587 from Canada & the USA or dial 403-699-1055 from local Calgary or International. The pass code to access the replay is 388891#.

About Fortress Paper Ltd.

Fortress Paper is a leading international producer of security and other specialty papers and products. Fortress operates three mills, the Landqart Mill located in Switzerland, the Dresden Mill located in Germany and the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill located in Quebec, Canada. Fortress Paper’s security papers include banknote, passport and visa papers and its specialty papers include non-woven wallpaper base products, and graphic and technical papers. Fortress Paper’s pulp business includes NBHK produced at the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill with plans to convert this capacity into dissolving pulp production along with the construction of a biomass based cogeneration plant.

Chadwick Wasilenkoff, CEO and Director of Fortress Paper has been nominated by Ernst & Young for Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010.

The firm recognizes high-achieving entrepreneurs who make a difference in the global economy Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs improve the quality of life for people across the globe.

“This year’s exceptional Pacific finalists all share a commitment to innovation, an inherent ability to spot opportunities and the perseverance to keep trying,” says Fred Withers, Director of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards for the Pacific region. “They have the ability to help drive the economic rebound and propel growth throughout Canada and beyond.” According to a recent Ernst & Young publication, A world of opportunity: Entrepreneurial perspectives on the impact of globalization, entrepreneurs have been quick to seize opportunities presented by the opening of new markets.

Fortress Paper CEO & Director Chadwick Wasilenkoff did just that when he formed a new company who jumped on an opportunity to transform a near-bankrupt pulp mill in Thurso, Quebec into a specialized pulp mill that will begin making dissolving pulp and targeting the textile industry (dissolving pulp is used to make rayon) by 2011.

In the meantime, however, the mill has continued to make NBHK pulp, and at precisely the right time.

“The NBHK market, which was in a severe downturn, turned up because of factors such as the Chile earthquake and a strike in Sweden,” wrote Tony Wanless in an article for BC Business. “Suddenly, the plant that was closed because of low NBHK prices was turning a profit that will continue during the conversion. ”

In addition to forming this new company – Fortress Specialty Cellulose – Fortress Paper remains a world leader in specialty and security papers.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year award recognizes high-achieving entrepreneurs in Canada and around the world who drive growth, transform industries and build communities.

The names of the Pacific winners will be announced at a gala banquet in Vancouver on September 28, and the overall winner will represent the region at the national banquet in Toronto on November 17.

Editors’ Note: As Fortress Paper’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, Chad Wasilenkoff oversees the company’s production of security and other specialty papers. Most recently, Wasilenkoff was the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Titan Uranium Exploration Inc. from July 2004 to July 2006 and an independent private equity investor from October 2002 to January 2004. From 1997 to 2002, Wasilenkoff was an investment advisor and financial planner at Canaccord Capital Corp. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of British Columbia.

Company Brief:Fortress Paper is a leading international producer of security and other specialty papers and pulp. The company operates three mills: the Landqart Mill in Switzerland, the Dresden Mill in Germany, and the recently acquired Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill in Thurso Quebec, Canada. Fortress Paper’s security paper includes banknotes, passport, and visa papers and its specialty papers include non-woven wallpaper base products and graphic and technical papers. Its specialty pulp business currently includes NBHK and the mill is undergoing a conversion to dissolving pulp for the textile industry in Asia. As an extension of its security papers business, the Landqart Mill has been actively developing and marketing innovative paper-based security products.

What did you see in the market that made you feel Fortress Paper would be successful?

My background is as more of a contrarian investor, so I always start from the bottom up. I was looking at the forestry sector – everything else was taking off, but this was still in a steady decline and had been for 12 to 15 years. So I evaluated pulp companies and commodity paper companies, and found these two niche paper mills that were world class in what they did. They had growth industries in both of their core products, but what they lacked was a strong and focused management team and growth capital. So that’s how we built the company.

What is produced at each of the mills?

Our German mill, located just outside Dresden, specializes in a non-woven wallpaper base. Most wallpapers are traditionally made from a regular kraft pulp, and that is what leads to the problem of trying to remove the paper. Because of that, the industry was going through challenging times. It had been in about a 10 to 12 decline, it has since steadied and been fairly stable and mature. The reason for that stability is because the industry got together and created this non-woven product where we put synthetic fibers into the paper. With those synthetic fibers, we get the strength characteristics and it becomes dry-stoppable. So now, once you’re able to pull a corner away, it comes off in one pull. While the overall wallpaper market is stable, this non-woven product is growing within it at about a 15 to 20 percent per annum growth rate, and we currently represent 50 percent of the world production of non-woven wallpaper.

The other mill is our Landqart mill, based in Switizerland, and it specializes in high-security paper. What we’re best known for is the banknote side of things. We’re the sole maker of the Swiss Franc, which is the industry standard – it is the currency by which all international banks measure themselves. It has more security features than any other currency in the world and one of the lowest counterfeit rates. It has never had a professional counterfeit attempt against it.

We also make the Euro for about 10 different countries, passports for dozens of countries, the entry visa sticker for India and China, and brand protection for companies like Rolex.

Our latest acquisition, Fortress Specialty Cellulose, was a shut down NBHK Mill in Thurso Quebec, Canada. We put together a plan to purchase the mill and convert it to a higher margin product, dissolving pulp, which is primarily used for producing rayon in Asia. Most of the financing for the $153 conversion was provided by the Quebec government.

What impact is new technology having on counterfeit issues?

Probably the biggest change in the global counterfeiting market has been the advancement of color photocopier standards. Now anybody can go onto eBay and buy regular home officer equipment and do a half decent job of counterfeiting. A lot of money goes into research and development and new technologies to try to make it as difficult as possible for these counterfeiters. Unfortunately some of these products are too successful and they get commercialized. For instance, the hologram that you typically find on a banknote, you can now buy holographic wrapping foil, and with a fairly rudimentary stamp, create your own hologram with that denomination on it. So while it was a spectacular feature when it began, it is slowly losing ground. They are now continuing to work on holograms to try to improve them, to make them a lot more complex and difficult.

What are your key priorities over the coming year to make sure the growth continues and the brand remains strong?

When I bought the company, I had a three-stage long-term plan: stage one was to change and focus on hiring and retaining good management; the second stage was dealing with internal or organic growth, and leveraging off our existing assets; the third stage was going external, so now it’s more of a focus on mergers and acquisitions.

In our industry, especially on the banknote side, cost is probably fifth or sixth on the list for national banks. It’s reputation first and foremost. It’s and industry that is not going to shift over to low-cost production regions. It’s just too important of a product worry about coming from a low-cost environment. So it’s about reputation, quality, new innovative products, high-security measures, and staying ahead of the counterfeiter. It’s such an important product that they’re willing to pay for a new world-class innovative technology and security feature. We’d like to find small companies that have these great products but can’t break into the banknote industry because it is so conservative. A lot of the printers or papermakers have been around for more than 300 years, so nobody wants to take a chance on a little supplier. We can take a small company that has a world-class product, and acquire it or do a joint venture or at least enable the security of that particular product, and we can launch it under our umbrella, giving it the reputation.

Do you see yourself in this business for the long term?

We have a lot to accomplish with Fortress Paper and one of our biggest challenges today is our share price. While our stock is currently undervalued, we are working to ensure that our shares trade closer to the industry averages that will enable us to make creative acquisitions that increase our reach and technological acumen. At some point in the foreseeable future, I am likely to relinquish the CEO title but stay on Chairman and a happy shareholder.

When life deals you pulp, you make cellulose. Learn how to recognize business opportunities, then reach out and grab them.

Any business needs a coherent strategy if it hopes to succeed. However, in a climate where marketplace and financial changes are becoming ever more rapid, clinging mindlessly to a strategy can be a recipe for disaster. Simply put, companies today must be more agile in their thinking to take advantage of business opportunities that may present themselves.

The Problem

North Vancouver’s Fortress Paper Ltd. has carved out a good and growing business niche since it began in 2006. That’s when CEO and chair Chadwick Wasilenkoff bought separate paper mills in Germany and Switzerland to produce specialty papers: security paper used in banknotes, passports and visas; and specialty papers such as non-woven wallpaper-base products and graphic and technical paper. But in 2009, the crushing downturn in the overall forestry industry threw an opportunity at Wasilenkoff that would move the company in a completely different direction. He had to decide: should Fortress stick with successful execution of a strategy or take advantage of an opportunity?

The Solution

Wasilenkoff has always approached business as an investor instead of as a manager, and so he applied solid investment principles in order to reach his decision. One of the primary ones, he believes, is that “it’s better to be lucky than good.”

When Toronto’s Fraser Papers, which made printing and publishing papers, became a victim of the recession and filed for creditor protection in June 2009, Wasilenkoff started looking at its assets, especially Fraser’s shuttered hardwood pulp mill in Thurso, Quebec. The mill drew Wasilenkoff’s interest because it had the perfect technology for an idea he’d been playing with for some time: the conversion of hardwood pulp to dissolving cellulose, a commodity that was being sought by Asian textile producers. As the price of cotton soared, Asian textile companies wanted to replace it with rayon, which is derived from dissolving cellulose.

Wasilenkoff decided the opportunity was too good to pass up and went for it. He formed a subsidiary that obtained the Thurso mill for the fire-sale price of $1.2 million. After a $153-million conversion, it will switch from producing northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK) pulp to dissolving cellulose.

Wasilenkoff brought Quebec on board by providing jobs for union workers who had been laid off since the mill closed. The Quebec government was only too happy to lend him the funds needed for the conversion. Also, the Quebec and federal governments were willing to help fund a green 25-megawatt co-generation power plant fueled with wood waste and other biomass.

The mill will begin turning out dissolving cellulose in 2011, but in the meantime Fortress also got lucky. The NBHK market, which was in a severe downturn, turned up because of factors such as the Chile earthquake and a strike in Sweden. Suddenly, the plant that was closed because of low NBHK prices was turning a profit that will continue during the conversion.

Lessons

• Get out of the groove. People tend to get caught up in groupthink. Wasilenkoff could see an opportunity because he takes a contrarian and long-term view of his and other industries.

• Think like an investor. Fortress earlier moved into wallpaper because a new method had appeared that made it profitable. Wasilenkoff determined that the Thurso mill was low risk and high return.

• Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. Look at everything around you from many angles. Wasilenkoff was able to make his decision because Fortress wasn’t a typical forest products company, which is usually concerned more with cost-cutting than its product mix.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 11 2010 – Fortress Paper Ltd. (“Fortress Paper” or the “Company”) (TSX:FTP) reported adjusted net income of $3.0 million for the first quarter of 2010 on sales of $50.3 million or adjusted earnings per share of $0.30. In the first quarter of 2009 the Company reported adjusted net income of $2.5 million on sales of $46.6 million or adjusted earnings per share of $0.25. For the fourth quarter of 2009 the Company reported adjusted net income of $4.8 million on sales of $51.0 million or adjusted earnings per share of $0.47.

Analysis of Specific Items Affecting Comparability of Net Income

(thousands of dollars, except per share figures, unaudited)

Q1 2010

Q4 2009

Q1 2009

Net income as reported

179

3,720

3,584

Foreign exchange loss (gain)

2,380

1,073

(1,055)

Deferred expenses written off

476

-

-

Adjusted net income

3,035

4,793

2,529

Net income per share (EPS), as reported

0.02

0.35

0.35

Impact of above item per share

0.28

0.12

(0.10)

Adjusted net income per share

0.30

0.47

0.25

EBITDA was $5.8 million or 11.5% of sales for the three months ended March 31, 2010. For the three months ended March 31, 2009 EBITDA was $5.0 million or 10.8% of sales. EBITDA was $7.9 million or 15.4% of sales for the three months ended December 31, 2009.

In the first quarter of 2010 the Dresden mill continued to experience strong sales and earnings throughout the quarter. The Landqart mill results reflected the product mix during the quarter. The banknote paper machine remains full and the conversion of paper machine one from a specialty paper machine to a banknote paper machine is on track. The increase in EBITDA relative to the prior year comparative period was partially due to the global financial and economic crisis which impacted sales early in 2009.

EBITDA is defined as net income before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, non-operating income and expenses and stock based compensation which the Company considers to be a key performance indicator. EBITDA is not a generally accepted earnings measure and should not be considered as an alternative to earnings or cash flows as determined in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles. As there is no standardized method of calculating EBITDA, the Company’s use for the term may not be comparable with similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Chadwick Wasilenkoff, chief executive officer of Fortress Paper, states: “This is an exciting time for the Company. The recently announced acquisition of the Thurso mill will diversify our specialty product mix and we believe will provide a significant financial contribution to Fortress’s growth aspirations. We plan to ramp up operations at the Thurso mill while we immediately begin the conversion into a dissolving pulp operation. The Dresden mill continues to perform extremely well, while the Landqart mill is experiencing results which are reflective of the current product mix of banknotes which offer lower margins.”

Selected Financial Information

The selected financial information presented herein is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, our audited consolidated financial statements as at and for the year ended December 31, 2009 and the related notes thereon and our Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2010Selected Financial Information and Statistics

(thousands of dollars, except per unit amounts and shipments, unaudited)

Q1 2010

Q4 2009

Q1 2009

Sales

50,304

51,049

46,623

EBITDA

5,808

7,885

5,032

Operating income

4,202

6,292

3,765

Net income

179

3,720

3,584

Basic EPS

$0.02

$0.36

$0.35

Weighted average shares outstanding basic (thousands)

10,234

10,234

10,234

Diluted EPS

$0.02

$0.35

$0.35

Weighted average shares outstanding diluted (thousands)

10,713

10,487

10,234

Shipments (tonnes

Landqart mill

4,287

3,673

3,721

Dresden mill

12,099

11,618

9,002

Total

16,386

15,291

12,723

Operational Results

Landqart produces various security and specialty papers. Security paper production includes banknote paper which results in varying degrees of EBITDA margin depending on the complexity of the features included. During 2008 Landqart also started producing non-woven wallpaper base. Included in Landqart’s sales number for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 is approximately 1,581 tonnes of non-woven wallpaper base. At the Landqart mill the order log for security papers remains stable.

At the Dresden mill, the wallpaper base market experienced continued strength throughout the quarter. Sales tonnage has increased relative to the prior year comparative periods and profitability remains solid.

Subsequent Events

On April 30, 2010 the Company completed the purchase of a northern bleached hardwood kraft pulp mill located in Thurso, Quebec from Fraser Papers Inc. through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. (“Fortress Specialty Cellulose”), for the net proceeds of approximately $1.2 million. The Company has announced the intention of converting this mill into a specialty cellulose (dissolving pulp) operation and to build a biomass-based cogeneration plant. The valuation of this acquisition for accounting purposes and the effect on the financial statements of the Company are still being determined.

Concurrent with this acquisition the Company finalized $102.4 million in project financing with a term of 10 years secured by the assets of Fortress Specialty Cellulose. Interest will be calculated at a fixed rate of 5.0% per annum for the first five years, followed by a rate of up to 5.5% for the remaining 5 years.

Also concurrent with this acquisition Fortress Paper issued a $15 million convertible debenture to a financial institution. The convertible debt matures in five years with an interest rate of 7% per annum. The debenture is convertible, in whole or in part, at the option of the holder into common shares of Fortress Paper at any time at a conversion price equal to $20.00 per share. Fortress Paper can redeem the debenture, in whole or in part, at any point after two years at a conversion price of not less than $25.00 per share.

The Company

Fortress Paper is a leading international producer of security and other specialty papers. The Company operates two paper mills, the Landqart mill located in Switzerland and the Dresden mill located in Germany. The Company’s security papers include banknote, passport and visa papers and its specialty papers include non-woven wallpaper base products, and graphic and technical papers. As an extension of its security papers business, the Landqart mill has been actively developing and marketing innovative paper-based security products.

Conference Call

A conference call to discuss the financial results for the first quarter 2010 will be held on May 12, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. (PST). To attend the conference call, please dial one of the following numbers:

North America: 1-877-353-9586

International: 1-403-532-8075

Participant pass code: 90198#

A replay of the conference call will be available for 7 days. To access the replay, listeners may dial 1-877-245-4531 from North America or 403-205-4531 International. The pass code to access the replay is 347381#.